No rally from three down this time; Predators fall to Stars

Friday, December 23, 2011 at 9:15pm

Staff reports

If the plan was to revisit the thrill they enjoyed a night earlier it did not work.

The Nashville Predators gave it a shot, though.

For the second time in as many nights, the Predators fell behind by three goals in the first period. Friday at Dallas, they closed to within one twice, the second time on David Legwand’s power play goal with 15:22 remaining, but never got even and lost 6-3 to the Stars in their final game before the brief Christmas break.

Dallas answered Legwand’s goal — his team-leading 10th of the season — with one of its own when Jamie Benn scored 30 seconds later then iced it on Michael Ryder’s empty-net goal with 2:07 remaining.

Goalie Anders Lindback replaced Pekka Rinne after the third goal and made 19 saves on 21 shots. Rinne faced seven shots and made just four saves.

The Stars’ first three goals, including one by former Nashville center Vernon Fiddler, came in a span of 3:05.

The Predators finally got on the board when Matt Halischuk scored at 8:56 of the second period. Martin Erat, who got the game-winner in Thursday’s come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Columbus, made it 3-2 with 8:15 to play in the second.

Nashville now has allowed five goals or more in consecutive games for the first time in more than two years. The last was Nov. 30 and Dec. 2 against Calgary and Minnesota, respectively. Both were losses (one in overtime).

The Predators return to action Monday at home against the Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m., Fox Sports-Tennessee).